Emma Barton Sweet as Honey
Darling’s Jas Matulewicz finds out how the EastEnders and Strictly star fell in love with Surrey, beat the lockdown blues, and learned to take it easy What’s your favourite thing about living in Surrey? The village community. It’s got even stronger with everything that’s been going on with coronavirus. During lockdown, it was so nice to have time to appreciate where I live and what I have on my doorstep. A lot of actors go into London to be close to the theatres, but I wouldn’t move. There are so many great places to eat near me – The Hambledon Stores have amazing homemade sausage rolls. My favourite restaurants are The Ivy, Guildford, and I love Italian food, so I recommend A Casa Cobham.
You were great on Strictly last year. Have you kept up your dancing? I loved dancing, but I haven’t got plans to do any more. Though if someone drops out of this current series, I’m happy to step in! Strictly is up there with some of the best things I’ve ever done. It lived up to all expectations, and I never thought I’d be able to do so many pivots!
Anything exciting planned for the future?
As long as I’ve got a bit of hope, a bit of health, and a bit of happiness, I’m okay. I don’t plan too far ahead. I go back How has lockdown to filming as Honey affected your work as an Mitchell in EastEnders actress? for the first time since It was quite a shock because November. They’re not I was meant to go back to cutting any corners with filming EastEnders the week the stories, but we’re they announced lockdown. taking extra care for the whole team’s safety. My Suddenly everything stopped, and I wasn’t ready daughter on EastEnders for that. It really affected has Down’s syndrome, so Emma Barton with QEF staff and clients at the new me, but then I joined Home when I was approached Care and Rehabilitation Centre Festival Fun, which was by the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation, it did pull on created by Karen Hauer and Oti Mabuse, so, in the end, I did get to my heartstrings. If I can support them, they can continue to support adults and children with perform, because I was the resident bedtime story reader! disabilities. n 48
read more at darlingmagazine.co.uk autumn 20
